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MSI Claw A8: The $1,000 Handheld Gaming PC Shaking Up the Steam Deck Era

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MSI Claw A8: The $1,000 Handheld Gaming PC Shaking Up the Steam Deck Era
  • MSI’s Claw A8 is a high-end handheld gaming PC featuring AMD’s new Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip (8 cores/16 threads, Zen 5) with an integrated RDNA 3.5 GPU, up to 24 GB LPDDR5X-8000 RAM, and a speedy 1 TB NVMe SSD theverge.com news.xbox.com. It sports an 8-inch FHD+ (1920×1200) touchscreen at 120 Hz with VRR, plus Hall Effect analog sticks and triggers for drift-free precision msi.com gamerscolony.net.
  • Launch & Pricing: First revealed at Computex 2025, the Claw A8 launched in China in July 2025 for ¥6,999 RMB ($970) techradar.com techradar.com. European pre-orders followed in August at €999 ($1,070 USD) tomsguide.com, and a UK launch is expected in October 2025 tomsguide.com. No U.S. release date has been confirmed as of September 2025, but indications point to a ~$999 price tag techradar.com techradar.com.
  • Performance: As the first handheld with AMD’s Ryzen Z2 Extreme, the Claw A8 promised a leap in portable gaming power. Early benchmarks show it edges out its Intel-based predecessor (Core Ultra 7 258V) by ~8% at 17 W TDP tomshardware.com tomshardware.com, delivering smoother frame rates and stronger 1% lows (i.e. fewer slowdowns) tomshardware.com. At higher 30 W settings the gap shrinks to ~6% tomshardware.com. In real games like Resident Evil Village and Cyberpunk 2077, the Z2 Extreme consistently leads by a few FPS at 1080p tomshardware.com tomshardware.com.
  • Design & Ergonomics: MSI significantly refined the Claw A8’s design. It comes in white or bold lime green theverge.com, with improved grips and revamped ergonomics that feel “incredible in the hand,” according to Tom’s Guide tomsguide.com tomsguide.com. The buttons are clickier and more tactile, and the device features RGB-lit ABXY buttons and analog sticks msi.com for a premium feel. At ~8 inches, it’s larger than a Steam Deck but still reasonably portable, striking a balance between the 7″ ROG Ally and the hefty 8.8″ Legion Go reddit.com.
  • Battery Life: Packing an 80 Wh battery, one of the largest in any handheld, the Claw A8 emphasizes longevity tomsguide.com. This big battery, combined with AMD’s efficiency gains, means longer play sessions: at a moderate ~15–17 W draw, it’s expected to approach 4 hours of gaming on a charge (versus ~2 hours on a Steam Deck at similar settings). Even cranked up to 30 W for demanding games, the A8 can nearly hit 2 hours of continuous play pcgamer.com pcgamer.com – a feat competitor devices with smaller batteries struggle to match.
  • Target Audience: With its ~$1,000 price and bleeding-edge specs, the Claw A8 squarely targets enthusiast PC gamers seeking top-tier portable performance. This is the crowd that craves high frame rates and graphics settings on the go, and who likely already own a Steam Deck or ROG Ally but are hungry for an upgrade. It’s a “premium handheld” that delivers what one reviewer calls “the heart of a seriously powerful PC” in mobile form pcgamer.com pcgamer.com. However, the steep price means it’s not aimed at the casual Switch crowd – it’s for those willing to pay for cutting-edge tech.

MSI Claw A8 Overview: Specs and Features

MSI’s Claw A8 BZ2EM is the company’s latest and most powerful handheld gaming PC to date. Announced at Computex 2025, it marks MSI’s first venture with an AMD processor in their handheld lineup theverge.com. Key specs include:

  • CPU/GPU: AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme (Zen 5, 8C/16T up to 5.0 GHz) with 16 RDNA 3.5 CUs (comparable to a Radeon 890M iGPU) tomshardware.com. This chip is purpose-built for handhelds, with a 15–35 W envelope and a focus on efficiency at lower wattages. It’s AMD’s flagship handheld SoC and comes with an onboard Ryzen AI NPU for future AI-driven features news.xbox.com. In contrast, the prior MSI Claw 8 ran an Intel Core Ultra (Meteor/Lunar Lake) chip.
  • Memory and Storage: 16 GB or 24 GB of LPDDR5X-8000 RAM (an unusual high-capacity option for a handheld) news.xbox.com. Storage is a fast 1 TB M.2 SSD (with an easy upgrade slot) news.xbox.com, ensuring plenty of space for large PC games.
  • Display: 8.0-inch IPS FHD+ 1920×1200 resolution at 120 Hz with VRR support facebook.com. The screen’s 16:10 aspect ratio provides a bit more vertical room than 1080p, and hands-on reports praise it as “fast and detailed” techradar.com techradar.com. It’s not an OLED panel, but still impressively bright and smooth. (For reference, the Steam Deck OLED uses a 7″ 1280×800 OLED, while the Ayaneo Kun sports an 8.4″ 2560×1600 IPS.)
  • Controls: MSI has outfitted the Claw A8 with Hall Effect analog sticks and triggers msi.com, meaning the joysticks use magnetic sensors instead of traditional potentiometers. This design is “drift-free” and more durable, a clear nod to enthusiast demand for reliable controls. The D-pad and face buttons have been improved as well, and there are the usual dual analog triggers and bumpers, along with extra grip buttons (common in this class of device). RGB lighting is integrated in the sticks and ABXY buttons for a bit of customizable flair msi.com.
  • Cooling: Under the hood, MSI’s “Cooler Boost HyperFlow” dual-fan cooling keeps the Z2 Extreme in check. Early adopters noted MSI issued a firmware update even before global launch to fix performance drops when adjusting TDP in manual mode tomsguide.com. This suggests active support in fine-tuning cooling and performance profiles.
  • Battery: 80 Wh (approx. 19,000 mAh) battery capacity tomsguide.com, which is significantly larger than most rivals (the original Steam Deck had ~40 Wh, Asus ROG Ally ~40 Wh, Lenovo Legion Go ~49 Wh, Ayaneo Kun ~75 Wh gamesradar.com). The Claw A8’s large battery paired with AMD’s efficiency means it can sustain gaming workloads longer – a key factor for a portable device.
  • OS and Software: Ships with Windows 11 Home. MSI, like other PC handheld makers, layers on software to improve the handheld experience. The Claw A8 integrates MSI Center “M” tools directly with the Xbox Game Bar overlay youtube.com, allowing quick access to performance profiles, monitoring, and controls without exiting games. However, many enthusiasts are eyeing the possibility of SteamOS on this device now that it’s AMD-based. “With the move to AMD, that means we can get SteamOS, right? … Give me SteamOS!” wrote Tom’s Guide’s reviewer in hope tomsguide.com tomsguide.com. Indeed, community tests have shown the Claw A8 can run Linux-based alternatives (like SteamOS/Batocera or Bazzite) and even see performance gains over Windows reddit.com – suggesting that a Steam Deck–like OS could better optimize the hardware. For now, out of the box it’s Windows, which offers full compatibility but not the console-like polish of SteamOS.

Release Timeline and Latest Updates (as of Sept 2025)

The MSI Claw A8’s rollout has been gradual and somewhat staggered across regions:

  • January 2025 (CES): MSI teased the Claw A8 at CES 2025 without firm details techradar.com. As anticipation built, many wondered when MSI would finally deliver an AMD-powered handheld.
  • May 2025 (Computex): Official reveal of the Claw A8 BZ2EM at Computex Taipei. MSI showcased the device and its AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip theverge.com, but no price or release date was announced at the show theverge.com. It was clear this was a successor to the Intel-based Claw 8 series, intended to offer more performance and fix earlier shortcomings.
  • July 2025: China launch. The Claw A8 became available for pre-order in China with a confirmed release in July techradar.com techradar.com. The official China price is ¥6,999 RMB (roughly $970 USD including tax) techradar.com techradar.com. Notably, Chinese consumers could get it for as low as ¥5,949 (~$737) after a government tech subsidy techradar.com – though this discount doesn’t apply elsewhere.
  • August 2025: European release. MSI Germany announced a launch window of August 4–10 (week 32) tomsguide.com. Indeed, by early August, European retailers listed the Claw A8 around €975–999 for pre-order techradar.com. For example, a listing in Germany had it at €976 (about £820 before VAT) techradar.com. This put the expected MSRP near $999 / £950. As Tom’s Guide noted, both the European and Australian prices convert to over $1,100, fueling speculation that the US price would land around $999 if and when it arrives tomsguide.com.
  • Late August 2025: Gamescom and hands-on impressions. Journalists got their first global hands-on time with the Claw A8 at Gamescom 2025 in Germany. While the device impressed in build quality, some were underwhelmed by the performance of the new chip in that preview setting. “I wasn’t as impressed with the performance of the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme as I was hoping to be,” wrote TechRadar’s Jasmine Mannan techradar.com techradar.com in an early verdict, calling the chip an “extreme let down” in that demo unit. It’s possible pre-release units weren’t fully optimized, and reviewers are eager to do full testing to understand why it underperformed their expectations. On the positive side, the same TechRadar hands-on praised the “nice design” and fast, detailed screen of the A8 techradar.com techradar.com.
  • September 2025: Australia & UK news. Press Start Australia reported an expected September release there, priced at $1,749 AUD (approx. $1,130 USD) for base model tomsguide.com. Meanwhile, a leak to Tom’s Guide suggested a UK launch in October 2025 via retailer Very tomsguide.com. At that stage, no North American release date had been confirmed by MSI. U.S. fans remain in a holding pattern; the staggered rollout (Asia first, then Europe, then likely NA last) may be due to supply or regulatory factors. The good news: as MSI readies broader launches, they’ve already pushed out firmware updates addressing issues like TDP tweaking performance dips tomsguide.com, showing early adopter feedback is being acted on.

In summary, as of September 2025 the Claw A8 is available in select Asian and European markets at a premium ~$1,000-equivalent price. A North American debut is still pending. Enthusiasts following the news are advised to stay patient – or consider importing, albeit with that steep price and potential warranty caveats.

Performance and Benchmarks: Ryzen Z2 Extreme in Action

One of the biggest selling points of the Claw A8 is the Ryzen Z2 Extreme APU powering it. This chip is the successor to 2023’s Ryzen Z1 Extreme (found in devices like the Asus ROG Ally) and represents AMD’s push to dominate the handheld PC performance crown. How does it actually perform?

Early signs show impressive efficiency gains. In head-to-head tests (spotted via Bilibili and reported by Tom’s Hardware), an MSI Claw A8 with the Z2 Extreme was pitted against the Intel-powered MSI Claw 8 AI+ (Core Ultra 7 258V, a 14th-gen Meteor Lake chip) at various power levels tomshardware.com tomshardware.com. The results at the critical 17 W TDP (a common “sweet spot” for handhelds to balance performance and battery life) were telling:

  • At 17 W: “The Z2 Extreme didn’t just compete — it pulled ahead.” tomshardware.com tomshardware.com Across a suite of games at 1080p/High settings, the Claw A8 (Z2E) averaged ~8.5% higher FPS than the Claw 8 AI+ (Intel) tomshardware.com tomshardware.com. For example, Monster Hunter Wilds ran ~24% faster on AMD (31.8 FPS vs 25.7) tomshardware.com tomshardware.com; Resident Evil Village hit mid-60s FPS on AMD vs high-50s on Intel tomshardware.com. Even Far Cry 6, traditionally favoring high clock speeds, showed parity (31.2 vs 30.9 FPS) tomshardware.com – an indication that AMD’s GPU muscle and new architecture shine when wattage is constrained. Just as importantly, “AMD had stronger 1% lows, meaning the gameplay felt smoother overall.” tomshardware.com In other words, the worst-case dips were higher on AMD, reducing stutters.
  • At 30 W: The gap narrowed, with AMD holding about a 6% average lead tomshardware.com. Intel’s chip gained more from the extra power between 20–30 W, whereas AMD’s gains flattened after ~20 W (a known behavior of this Z2 Extreme chip) tomshardware.com. Still, AMD maintained a slight edge or traded blows, and it took until these higher TDPs for Intel to occasionally pull ahead in a few titles tomshardware.com. This suggests the Z2 Extreme is optimized for efficiency; beyond a certain point, it stops scaling, whereas Intel can use additional headroom to catch up somewhat – yet not decisively surpass AMD.

It’s worth noting a caveat raised by Tom’s Hardware: the power measurements might not be apples-to-apples. The Intel 258V’s “17 W” includes its on-package memory power, whereas the AMD Z2 Extreme’s does not (its LPDDR5X memory draws power separately) tomshardware.com. So the AMD system could be drawing a bit more total power than reported. Even so, the performance-per-watt appears excellent for AMD’s new silicon.

Real-world gaming on the Claw A8 should comfortably exceed last-gen handhelds. For context, the Claw A8’s predecessor (Claw 8 AI+ with Intel) could average ~52 FPS in Shadow of the Tomb Raider (1080p High) techradar.com. The Claw A8 with Z2 Extreme in early testing hit ~49 FPS in the same test techradar.com – slightly lower, interestingly. This was highlighted by TechRadar, who noted the two devices’ performance so far is “very similar” techradar.com. The A8’s unit in that test might have been running with 24 GB RAM vs the AI+’s 32 GB, or an immature driver, which could explain being neck-and-neck or a hair behind techradar.com. If the Z2 Extreme doesn’t show a “huge jump” over the Z1 Extreme/Intel generation in final reviews, the Claw A8 could face tough questions, especially given its price techradar.com.

On the other hand, when the Z2 Extreme is allowed to stretch its legs in ideal conditions (as in the 17W/30W showdown above), it clearly outclasses the older chips in efficiency. One Chinese reviewer was so taken aback by AMD’s improvement that he “admitted it outright: ‘I have to apologize. I was too loud before — I didn’t understand mobile SoCs, and I didn’t understand AMD.’” tomshardware.com This quote suggests that AMD’s new design confounded expectations, delivering better-than-expected smoothness at low power.

In summary, expect the MSI Claw A8 to handle modern AAA games at 1080p on Medium-to-High settings with 40–60 FPS results, and less demanding or older titles well above 60 FPS (especially if you use the 120Hz screen for indie and esports titles). Its performance falls in line with the latest in handheld APUs – notably, a notch above the 2023 ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) and roughly on par or a bit above Intel’s best mobile chip in that power class tomshardware.com tomshardware.com. It won’t rival a desktop or full-size gaming laptop, but it’s arguably the fastest handheld gaming device available in late 2025 (at least until competitors’ next-gen models hit, which we’ll discuss shortly).

One concern to monitor is thermals and sustained performance. The Claw A8’s cooling has to tame up to ~35 W of APU heat in a compact form. MSI’s firmware update to fix TDP tuning issues tomsguide.com implies they’re actively refining how the system balances clocks, temperatures, and fan noise. Enthusiast testing will reveal if the Claw A8 can sustain high performance without throttling. The 80 Wh battery, while great for longevity, also means more heat to dissipate during charging or heavy use. So far no red flags, but final reviews will likely examine if the device can truly maintain its “extreme” performance for long sessions or if it downclocks to stay cool. (The TechRadar Gamescom preview didn’t note any overt thermal issues in the brief test, focusing more on the chip’s output seeming lower than expected techradar.com.)

Design, Build Quality, and Ergonomics

MSI took the opportunity with the Claw A8 to not only upgrade internals but also refine the design and comfort of the device – areas where first-gen PC handhelds often stumble. By multiple accounts, these improvements paid off:

Software, OS Compatibility, and Optimization

The MSI Claw A8 runs Windows 11 Home by default【32†L702-L710】, meaning it can install and play games from Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG, EA App, Ubisoft Connect, Xbox Game Pass for PC, and more – essentially any PC game library. Thi theverge.com news.xbox.coma big advantage over closed ecosystems. However, Windows isn’t specifically tailored for a 8-inch touchscreen. As Tom’s Guide bluntly put it, msi.com gamerscolony.netucks] on a gaming handheld screen.”【32†L788-L795】 Navigating tiny desktop interfaces or using on-screen keyboards can be clun techradar.com techradar.comintegrates its MSI Center M overlay with the Xbox Game Bar tomsguide.com console-like quick menu for performance twea tomsguide.comettings, and game launching【15†L9-L17】. It’s a similar approach to Asus’s Armoury Crate on the ROG Ally. M techradar.com techradar.commizing Windows for handhelds – the upcoming “ROG Xbox Ally” devices will feature a special Xbox-optimized full-screen launcher and handheld-friendly Game Bar enhancements【27†L23-L31】【27†L25-L33】. Those improvements will likely tr tomshardware.com tomshardware.comndhelds (including the Claw A8) via software updates, making Windows more tou tomshardware.comd console-like over time.

Still, many enthusias tomshardware.comSteamOS (Valve’s Linux-based OS from the Steam Deck) for the Claw A8. AMD hardware is fully compatible with SteamOS, a tomshardware.com tomshardware.comractically an invitation – “with the move to AMD, that means we can get SteamOS, right? (…right!?)” one early rev theverge.com【32†L660-L668】【32†L661-L669】. Valve doesn’t officially support SteamOS on third-party devices yet, but communi tomsguide.com tomsguide.comite, etc.) can bring a Deck-like environment to devices like the Claw. In fact, users have reported the Cla msi.comorms better under Linux (SteamOS derivatives) than Windows 11 in some cases【6†L9-L14】, thanks to lower overhead. The downside is that not every game is Linux-native reddit.comes on Proton compatibility layers for Windows games, which works great for many titles but can occasionally require tweaks tomsguide.comin launchers (Epic, Battle.net) need extra steps on SteamOS, whereas on Windows the world is your oyster.

Notably, Lenovo took a bold step with its Legion Go S handheld by offering a SteamOS option out of the box【32†L788-L795】【32†L790-L798】. This “Legion Space” SteamOS build gives users a console-like interface and b pcgamer.com pcgamer.comost of some Windows-only games. MSI hasn’t announced similar plans, but given the clamoring, it’s something they could consider via a partnership or user-provided ISO. At the very least, the community will fill the gap – we anticipate detailed how-to guides on installing SteamOS or dual-booting the Claw A8.

In terms of storefronts and cloud services, Windows on the Claw A8 handles it all. Steam is just a download away (and can even run in Big Picture mode for a console feel). The Xbox app enables Game Pass, so yo pcgamer.com pcgamer.comtitles or stream Xbox Cloud games. Emulators and retro launchers (RetroArch, etc.) run with full performance, turning the A8 into an emulation beast for anything from NES to Switch. By contrast, Valve’s Steam Deck (SteamOS) is more restricted initially – it’s brilliant for Steam library play, but other stores and Game Pass require workarounds (like using the Deck’s Deskt theverge.comreaming via browser).

Software optimization on the Claw A8 will depend on both MSI’s firmware and AMD’s driver support. Early signs are p tomshardware.compromptly issued a performance-fixing update ahead of global release【1†L609-L614】, and AMD’s drivers for the Z2 Extreme will mature over time (the chip is new, so expect frequent GPU driver updates to squash bugs and im news.xbox.comrmance in certain games). The Windows power profiles and TDP controls allow tweaking performance vs. battery. Enthusiasts can undervolt or limit wattage to extend battery life, or conversely push TDP news.xbox.comthe expense of heat and noise) for maximum FPS when near a c news.xbox.comontrast, Valve’s SteamOS automatically handles a lot of this via per-game profiles and a 30/40/60 FPS limiter; on Claw A8, you’ll h facebook.comthings manually or via MSI’s software. It’s powerful but requires some tinkering – which, to be fair, the target audience of a $1000 PC h techradar.com techradar.comd.

How the Claw A8 Stacks Up Against Other Handhelds

The handheld gaming PC market in 2025 is crowded with contenders. Here’s how the MSI Claw A8 compares to the current field:

  • Valve Steam Deck OLED (2024): Valve’s updated Steam Deck introduced a vibrant 7-inch OL msi.com but kept the older AMD “Aerith” APU (4-core Zen 2 CPU, 8 RDNA2 CUs). In raw power, the Steam Deck is no match for the Claw A8 – it runs many games at 800p/30–40 FPS that the A8 can push to 1080p/60+ FPS. However, the Deck’s advantage is price and ecosystem. At $549 for a 512GB OLED model【21†L701-L708】 (and as low as $399 for the 64GB LCD base model earlier), the Deck undercuts devices like the Claw A8 by almost half. It also runs Valve’s polishe msi.comoffering a console-like simplicity and excellent power management out of the box. By September 2025, the Deck is showing its age in performance, and enthusiasts are eager for a “Steam Deck 2.” Rumors suggest Valve is working on a successor with a tomsguide.com APU, but it’s not expected until there’s a significant generational leap. For now, the Deck (OLED version) remains the best value in tomsguide.comng, while the Claw A8 is a premium, no-compromise alternative for those willing to splurge. As one commentary noted, many handheld makers are veering gamesradar.comice territory and “losing touch with Valve’s successful Steam Deck template of affordability”【29†L127-L134】 – a cautionary point for the Claw A8.
  • Asus ROG Ally (2023) and ROG Ally X (2025): Asus’s ROG Ally was 2023’s poster child for Steam Deck alternatives. The original Ally uses the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme (Zen 4, 8C/16T) – essentially last generation’s top chip youtube.com-inch 1080p 120Hz screen and a 40Wh battery. Priced at $649.99 (often on sale for ~$599 or even $499)【21†L703-L711】【21†L705-L708】, the Ally undercut earlier boutique devices. In practice, the Claw A8’s Z2 Extreme is roughly 20–30% faster than the Ally’s Z1 Extreme in GPU-bound scenarios, and especially more efficie tomsguide.com tomsguide.comy, however, is lighter (around 608g) and more compact, and it enjoyed a head start with better availability in western markets. Fast forward to late 2025, and reddit.com collaboration with Microsoft – is launching the ROG Ally X, also known as the ROG “Xbox” Ally X, in holiday 2025【27†L1-L9】【27†L13-L21】. This premium model will feature the same AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor (branded “Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme” by Microsoft) with 24GB RAM and 1TB SSD, plus an 80Wh battery – essentially matching the Claw A8’s core specs【28†L13-L22】【27†L61-L69】. The Ally X sticks with a 7-i techradar.comcreen (no OLED here either) but adds ergonomics inspired by Xbox controllers and even impulse trigger vibration feedback【27†L63-L71】【27†L65-L68】. Critically, Microsoft has baked a custom Xbox launcher into the Ally series for a conso theverge.comience on Windows【27†L23-L30】【27†L25-L33】. In short, the ROG theverge.comsed to be the Claw A8’s direct competitor – same chip, similar battery, likely similar $900–$1000 price – but backed by Asus and Microsoft’s marketing muscle. Buyers in late 2025 will have a tough choice between MSI and Asus: the Claw A8 got a head start techradar.com techradar.comurope, but the Ally X will land in more markets (Microsoft confirmed a br techradar.com techradar.com, and Asia)【27†L83-L91】. For those considering the older 2023 ROG Ally, its key attraction now is pric techradar.comfound heavily discounted (as low as $450 during sales) and delivers ~75% of the performance of the Claw A8, making it a budget choice in comparison.
  • tomsguide.comon Go (2023) and Legion Go 2/S (2024–25): Lenovo entered the fray with the Legion Go in late techradar.comuishing itself with a huge 8.8-inch 2560×1600 display (144Hz) and de techradar.comollers (à la Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons). It also packed the Ryzen Z1 Extreme and a 49Wh battery. At $699 for a 512GB model【33†L19-L27】, the Legion Go directly matched the ROG Ally’s price while offering a bigger, higher tomsguide.comnd unique features (including an optional VR-like headset and a “mouse mode” by detaching a controller). The Claw A8 outguns the Legion Go in performance (thanks to Z2 Extreme) and battery capacity, but the Legion’s oversized screen and modular gamepad design cater to a slightly different niche. Lenovo Legion Go 2 is already rumored – TechRadar even teased that new benchmarks suggest it could “outperform the Cla techradar.com techradar.comext-gen model (possibly slated for IFA 2025) is expected to feature a more powerful APU (potentially AMD’s forthcoming Strix Halo APU or a higher-clocked variant) and possibly an OLED display【29†L119-L128】. Price rumors, however, “will make you wince”【29†L119-L127】 – the Legion Go 2 might be even pricier, reinforcing that the $1000+ tier of ha techradar.com techradar.comthe other end, Lenovo in early 2025 announced the Legion Go S, an 8-inch SteamOS-based handheld starting at $499.99【33†L23-L27】. The Legion Go S uses a toned-down “R tomsguide.comrocessor (a step below Extreme) and forgoes Windows【3†L248-L256】. While its performance “can’ tomsguide.comith the Z1 Extreme according to The Verge’s Sean Hollister【3†L248-L256】【3†L250-L253】, the Legion Go S shows Lenovo’s strategy of offering a more affordable, console-like option alongside its flagship. MSI’s Claw A8 doesn’t have an answer in that budget/SteamOS space – it’s all-in on the high-end Windows device. So in summary, Lenovo offers either more for more (Legion Go tomsguide.comen, Legion Go 2’s looming power) or less for less (Legion Go S with SteamOS), whereas MSI is squarely positioned in the premium middle ground.
  • Ayaneo Kun (2023) and other boutique handhelds: AYANEO is a smaller player known for bleeding-edge handhelds funded via crowdfunding. Their flagship Ayaneo Kun launched in late 2023 with an 8.4-inch 1600p screen, the same 75 Wh battery class, and the last-gen AMD Ryzen 7 7840U (which is roughly on par with a Z1 Extreme)【22†L13-L17】【22†L23-L31】. The Kun impressed with its build quality – “it looks beautiful, feels great in the hand, and has a killer spec,” said PC Gamer【25†L132-L140】【25†L134-L142】 – and even included features like dual touchpads (mirroring the Steam Deck) for mouse control. It also has up to 64GB RAM options for extreme multitaskers【22†L13-L17】. But Ayaneo’s devices are expensive and aimed at hardcore enthusiasts: the base Kun started at $999 (16GB/512GB) and higher configurations scaled up to $1,699【22†L21-L29】. In per tomshardware.com tomshardware.comr Z2 Extreme should beat the Kun’s 7840U by a decent margin (especially in GPU-bound games), but the Kun’s slightly larger, higher-res screen and luxurious configs appeal to a small segment. Ayaneo’s strength tomshardware.com tomshardware.comaSpace overlay is often cited as one of the best for handheld control, even “better than Valve’s deep SteamOS integra tomshardware.com tomshardware.comr’s experience【25†L259-L265】. MSI’s software isn’t as mature or feature-rich, but tomshardware.com tomshardware.comtream brands invest in UX. Besides Ayaneo, other boutique devices lik tomshardware.comries and OneXPlayer exist, often exploring exotic designs (slide-out keyboards, eGPU support, et tomshardware.comoming Win 5 is reportedly using AMD’s next flagship “Ryzen 9 7950U” or similar – essentially a laptop-class 30+ W APU with more cores – to achieve unprecedented performance, but at tomshardware.comg $2,000 price point【29†L129-L137】. These niche devices underscore that if the Claw A8’s ~$1,000 price seems high, there are even pricier options tomshardware.comnvelope of performance (often with trade-offs in size, noise, or battery life).
  • Nintendo Switch 2 (upcoming): While not a PC handheld, it’s wo tomshardware.com Nintendo’s looming successor to the Switch, since MSI itself frames the Claw A8 as a device “to rival the Switch 2”【16†L658-L666】. The Switc tomshardware.com call it) is expected in 2024 or 2025 and will likely use a custom Nvidia chip with DLSS upscaling to achieve high-fidelity visuals in a small power envelope. It will almost certainly be far less powerful than the Claw A8 in raw terms – perhaps targeting somewhere between a PS4 and PS5 level of performance, but focused on first-party Nintendo titles and ease of use. Importantly, the Switch 2 will likely cost a fraction of the Claw A8 (the original Sw tomshardware.comat $299). So, while the Claw A8 can run circles around a Switch in tech specs, they serve different markets: one is for the PC enthusiast who wants to play Cyberpunk 2077, modded Skyrim, or use it as a mini gaming PC; the other is for the mass consumer who wants to play Mario and Zelda on the go. That said, both vie for the attention (and wallets techradar.como love handheld gaming. MSI is clearly trying to capture some excitement fr techradar.comspace by offering bleeding-edge hardware to those who might be contemplating a new Switch but are swayed by the allure of unrestricted techradar.com# Outlook: The High-End Handheld Era

The MSI Claw A8 is a showcase of what’s possible in 2025: desktop-class features in your hands, but with a price tag to match techradar.coms the crest of a wave in the handheld PC market – one where traditional PC brands (MSI, Asus, Lenovo) have joined niche startups to push performance higher and higher. The techradar.comularly shines in delivering AMD’s latest technology early, and in polishing its design based on prior missteps (MSI’s earlier Claw models were less refined, but the A8 “redeemed” the line by addressing build and control issues【3†L248-L256】).

For gamers, the Claw A8 and its peers mean more choice than ever. If you value performance and premium features and don’t mind paying for tomshardware.comA8 is among the best handheld gaming PCs money can buy【32†L651-L659】. Early reviewers have been largely impressed: “this thing is a beast,” wrote Tom’s Guide【32†L667-L670】, and “one of the best gaming handhelds I’ve ever held”【7†L593-L601】. The Ryzen Z2 Extreme fulfilled the hope that MSI would “branch out from Intel and taste Team Red,” delivering phenomenal frame rates in games like Lies of P (one tester saw 100 FPS on high settings, where the previous-gen Ally managed 60 FPS)【32†L747-L755】【32†L751-L759】.

On the other hand, the Claw A8 also exemplif tomshardware.com tomshardware.comis category. The near-$1000 pricing puts it out of reach for many gamers – especially when a $549 Steam Deck OLED or the $699 Legion Go can provide a satisfying experience for a lot less. As TechRadar’s Isaiah Williams wryly noted, “Almost $1,000? Yeah, no thanks…”【19†L1-L4】 when discussing the Claw A8’s price. The handheld PC market is splitting into two tiers: affordable mainstream devices (led b tomsguide.comk) and bleeding-edge enthusiast devices (where the Claw A8 sits). It remains to be seen how large the audience for the latter is, and whether prices will come down as components mature.

Latest news to watch: The remainder of 2025 will bring more competition. Asus’s ROG Ally X, with similar specs, will test MSI’s ability to expand beyond its current markets. Lenovo’s next move (Legion Go 2) could up the ante on performance. And Valve might surprise everyone with hints of a Steam Deck 2 (Valve has confirmed it’s investigating new APUs, though any Deck 2 is unlikely to launch before late 2025 or 2026). In any ca techradar.comrmly planted its flag with the Claw A8 – earning a seat at the table of top handheld makers. For a company known for gaming laptops and GPUs, that’s a significant achievement and a sign of the times: PC gaming is truly going portable, and increasingly, it’s without major compromises.

Prospective buyers of the Claw A8 should weigh how much they value cutting-edge performance and MSI’s improvements against the cost and the rapid product cycle of theverge.comnew models emerge every year). But one thing’s certain: the Claw A8 has advanced the state of handheld PCs. It’s a bold answer to the question of whether a “portable gaming PC” can really deliver a no-compromise experience. With the Claw A8 tomsguide.cominches closer to yes – if you’re willing to pay for it, you’ll get a handheld that can play modern PC games at high settings, with few sacrifices, wherever you go【21†L681-L689】【21†L683-L687】. And that is a remarkable feat in and of itself.

Sources: The information and comparisons in this report are based on the latest news and expert reviews from sources like tomsguide.com tomsguide.com【32†L769-L777】, The Verge【3†L238-L247】【3†L248-L256】, Tom’s Hardware【11†L223-L231】【11†L257-L265】, TechRadar【21†L701-L708】【21†L703-L711】, and other reputable outlets as of September 2025. news.xbox.com news.xbox.com pcgamer.com tomsguide.com tomsguide.com youtube.com news.xbox.com news.xbox.com tomsguide.com tomsguide.com reddit.com tomsguide.com tomsguide.com tomsguide.com techradar.com techradar.com techradar.com techradar.com news.xbox.com news.xbox.com news.xbox.com news.xbox.com news.xbox.com news.xbox.com news.xbox.com news.xbox.com news.xbox.com tomshardware.com techradar.com techradar.com techradar.com news.lenovo.com theverge.com theverge.com theverge.com gamesradar.com retrododo.com pcgamer.com pcgamer.com gamesradar.com retrododo.com pcgamer.com techradar.com techradar.com theverge.com tomsguide.com tomsguide.com tomsguide.com tomsguide.com tomsguide.com techradar.com techradar.com techradar.com tomsguide.com tomsguide.com theverge.com theverge.com tomshardware.com tomshardware.com techradar.com techradar.com

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